Illinois Man Charged with Racist Arson

CHICAGO (CN) – A man was arrested Wednesday and charged with setting fire to a black family’s home because they moved into a house on his street in Joliet, federal prosecutors said.

In a 3-count indictment, a federal grand jury claimed that Brian James Moudry, 35, “did, by force and threat of force involving the use and attempted use of fire, willfully injure, intimidate, and interfere with, and attempt to injure, intimidate, and interfere with, Victim A and her family, all of whom were African American, because of their race and because they were renting and occupying a dwelling, namely, a house located at … Joliet, Illinois”. Moudry is accused of setting fire to the home at about 4:10 a.m. in June 2007. Eight children and an adult were in the house, but no one was injured. The family moved after the fire. Moudry was charged with arson, using fire to interfere with housing rights on the basis of race, and using fire to commit another felony. If convicted, Moudry faces up to 40 years in prison.